With increasing energy prices and environmental concerns, industry is turning to new roofing technologies that offer energy savings while providing protection from the weather. Particularly in urban areas with population growth, increased industrialization, and new reliance on power hungry technologies, local governments are increasingly introducing regulations to reduce strain on utility infrastructure. In addition, in response to concern over global and urban warming, cities and municipalities are turning to building code regulation, specifying roofing materials that are less likely to convert sunlight into heat. As such, the building industry and roofing manufacturers are turning to lighter color roofing materials formed of low emission materials. Even further, local governments are regulating the emission of volatile organic chemicals, which frequently evolve from traditional roofing materials.
While lighter colored roofing can initially provide some benefit in turns of energy savings and low heat production, such performance often degrades over time as a result of dirt build up or surface discoloring. Accordingly, the roofing materials industry has turned to low surface energy coatings or films on roofing membranes. While such low surface energy coatings or films prevent dirt and grime build up on the roofing membrane, such low surface energy coatings also prevent adhesion of adjacent roofing membranes, making installation difficult.
Poor adhesion of roofing membranes to adjacent membranes or joints leads to openings within seams that permit water, water vapor, or ice to enter the seam and possibly the structure. Over time, such water, water vapor, or ice, as it cycles through temperature changes, causes damage to the membrane, ultimately leading to a failure that can result in a flooding of the facility over which the roofing membrane is installed. As such, industry has been hesitant to utilize new roofing materials, citing concern over long term performance of such materials.
Accordingly, a new method of installing low surface energy roofing materials would be desirable.
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